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About Us

We Are National Development

National Development is a vertically integrated real estate investment, development, construction and management firm. We work closely with our partners and stakeholders to create vibrant and interesting places. Through over 300 projects and three decades of experience, we have become part of the communities in which we work. Our local knowledge and relationships combined with our understanding of the global capital markets result in exceptional projects and attractive investments.

Our Mission

We turn projects into communities. We work collaboratively as long-term partners, creating value for our investors and enhancing the neighborhoods in which we build.

Strength & Capability

Our greatest strength is our people; over 300 team members bring expertise in every aspect of the value creation process, across all property categories including office, research, industrial, retail, senior housing, multifamily and hotel.

The firm’s activities are primarily funded by our closed-end discretionary funds. We launched our first fund in 2006 and have subsequently raised over $1.1 billion via four fully-discretionary funds comprised primarily of endowments, foundations, institutions and family offices. We are currently investing our $400,000,000 Fund IV, which we expect will be deployed into $1.5 – 2 billion of new acquisitions and developments. 

Experience

Over our firm’s nearly 40-year history in Boston, we have developed over 30 million SF in over 45 communities, investing over $6 billion. Our knowledge of the Greater Boston market and its many cities and towns is unparalleled. National Development is consistently ranked by the Boston Business Journal as one of the largest real estate development and investment firms in New England.

Innovation & Performance

National Development has distinguished itself as one of Boston’s most creative and innovative real estate firms, with a long track record of creating great places in which people want to work and live. Our vertically integrated structure, with the discretionary capital and in-house acquisition, development, construction and property management expertise, has earned our firm a reputation for reliably executing thoughtfully conceived projects on time and on budget.  

Our Values

Collaboration

It’s true. We are better together. Through collaboration, we turn visions into realities and projects into communities. Through teamwork, trust and open communication, we inspire each other with a strong sense of purpose to create great places.

Community

We’re committed to working together with the cities and towns in which we work, creating environments that have a deep impact on people’s lives. We also believe in giving back. Every year, we support over 100 charitable and community organizations including United Way of Massachusetts Bay, Heading Home, Building Impact, Foundation for MetroWest, Habitat for Humanity and many others.

Creativity

From innovative deal structures to creative placemaking, we pride ourselves on our ability to think outside the box and maximize the potential of each project. We draw inspiration from history, sound planning and design principles, and community input to deliver projects that empower change, growth and transformation.

What We Do

As a vertically integrated company with in-house capital combined with acquisition, financing, permitting, development, construction and management expertise, we are able to bring a high level of speed, reliability and efficiency to the process of creating great places. 

Investment

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Our firm’s activities are primarily funded by our discretionary, closed-end funds. We launched our first fund in 2006 and have subsequently raised over $1.1 billion via four fully-discretionary funds comprised primarily of endowments, foundations, institutions and family offices. We recently closed our $400,000,000 Fund IV. In addition to ground-up development, our firm is focused on acquiring properties where value can be added through re-leasing, re-positioning and/or redevelopment.

 

Development

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Our development team excels at taking a project from the initial acquisition through construction and stabilization. Our deep understanding of market forces, planning issues, the permitting process, design and financing are the key ingredients to our success. We are primarily focused on the development or redevelopment of mixed-use properties that combine several project types to create vibrant, attractive places.

 

Construction

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Cranshaw Construction is our construction manager/general contractor affiliate. The firm builds office, industrial, residential, life science, retail, hotel and other project types on behalf of both National Development and third party clients. Cranshaw’s capabilities include pre-construction services, site analysis, feasibility and conceptual estimating, plan review and value engineering. The firm is consistently ranked by the Boston Business Journal as one of the top ten largest construction management firms in Greater Boston.

Property Management

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Our property management group is one of the largest in the region and manages nearly 9 million SF of commercial, industrial and retail space, and 3,000 apartment units for both National Development and third party clients. We are committed to maximizing the value of each client’s asset through proactive marketing, tenant retention and community engagement programs, comprehensive maintenance, and detailed financial reporting.  For more information about the residential communities we manage, visit www.ndcommunities.com.

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Awards

2019

2018

2017

2016

  • Building Impact Gold Impact Award

2015

2014

  • Building Impact Silver Impact Award

2013

2011

  • NAIOP Distinguished Real Estate Award

  • The American Consulting Engineers Council of Massachusetts, Excellence Award

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Media

  • ‘What is public art even for?’ New works suggest a transformation on culture and shared space

    September 3, 2020

    By Murray Whyte, The Boston Globe 9/3/2020 It was a dark void for months, this city of ours. Streets empty, sidewalks clear, parks and playgrounds closed. If not for the scattered glow from the doorways of essential services — grocers and drugstores, sanity-saving takeout food — you’d have believed in...

  • Underground at Ink Block Wins Best of Boston Award

    August 1, 2020

    Boston Magazine named Underground at Ink Block as Best Outdoor Museum Experience in the August 2020 issue. Underground is recognized as “the city’s most exhilarating art exhibit, featuring 18 murals, and highlighting artists such as Silvia López Chavez, national ones like Def Jam’s founding creative director Cey Adams, and international...

  • Alexandria and National Development Joint Venture Buys Mount Auburn Club

    July 7, 2020

    The Crowley family, owners of the Mount Auburn Club for more than 46 years, announced that the Watertown club will remain closed and that it has been sold to a joint venture intending to develop the property for laboratory and office use. A statement released by the Mount Auburn Club...

  • Oak Row Joins ND Communities Portfolio

    April 13, 2020

    On April 13th, National Development closed on its acquisition of Oak Row Apartments in West Roxbury. The National Apartment Association’s 2019 Community of the Year has 80 spacious apartments with condo-quality finishes, garage parking and an abundance of amenities. Inspired by the beautiful tree-line streets that surround it, the property...

  • WBZ could get ‘forward-thinking’ new studio building in Allston, should construction ever resume

    March 19, 2020

    A Newton development company this week filed formal plans to replace WBZ-TV’s current Soldiers Field studios and offices with a new building right next door – which would leave open a large piece of land for possible future development. In a filing with the BPDA, National Development says the proposed...

  • National Development plans housing at MidTown Hotel site

    March 4, 2020

    Newton-based National Development has closed on a long-term ground lease for the MidTown Hotel and One Cumberland St., two parcels located across from the Christian Science Plaza in Boston, and is in the early stages of planning a residential and retail property there. A 99-year ground lease closed Monday between...


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